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Thailand's new cabinet sworn in Thailand's new cabinet sworn in
(29 minutes later)
Thailand's new cabinet has been sworn in by King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thailand's king has sworn in a new cabinet, with an appeal for peace and order following months of protests.
Last week, the Democrat Party mustered enough votes in parliament to have its candidate Abhisit Vejjajiva elected as Thailand's fourth PM in a year. The cabinet includes some controversial appointments by the new prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Mr Vejjajiva has pledged to ease political tension and revive the economy, but was forced to make some controversial choices in his cabinet. The new foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, was an open supporter of anti-government protests that shut down the country's main airport last month.
The monarch called for peace and order after months of political turmoil that helped bring down the last government. Other key ministries have gone to those who defected from the old government, allowing Mr Abhisit to take power.
After the swearing in ceremony, Mr Vejjajiva said he would heed the king's words and would "bring back harmony" to Thailand. Mr Abhisit was selected as prime minister by parliament last month, becoming Thailand's third leader in four months.
"I haven't sold my soul; there will be no deals," Mr Vejjajiva said in his first interview as PM with the BBC last week. He managed to win power after some supporters of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed by the military and remains in exile overseas, defected to side with Mr Abhisit's Democrat Party.
Notoriously mercenary 'Bringing back harmony'
But some in his new cabinet have already provoked strong protest from the business community, and even from inside his own party, reports BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. The deeply revered 81-year-old Thai king spoke slowly and with a hoarse voice as he presided over the swearing-in ceremony.
Two powerful ministries - interior and transport - have gone to the faction whose defection from the previous government swung the balance of votes in Mr Abhisit's favour. ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA: NEW THAI PM Born in Britain, educated at Eton and OxfordEntered parliament in 1992 as one of its youngest membersDemocrat Party leader since 2005Opposed military coup that overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra Profile: Abhisit Vejjajiva THAI CABINET Prime Minister: Abhisit Vejjajiva Foreign Minister: Kasit Piromya Finance Minister: Korn ChatikavanijDefence Minister: Prawit WongsuwonInterior Minister: Chavarat Charnvirakul Profile: Abhisit Vejjajiva "If you help each other you can give the country peace and order, and make the country get through the current situation," King Bhumibol Adulyadej said in a televised address.
That faction is led by a notoriously mercenary local politician, says Jonathan Head. After the ceremony, Mr Vejjajiva said he would heed the king's words and "bring back harmony" to Thailand.
He adds that it is also difficult to deny deals were done with the smaller parties who joined the coalition; for example the important commerce portfolio was given to the politically-inexperienced owner of a large massage parlour. He has pledged to ease political tension and revive the economy.
But the biggest controversy surrounds Mr Abhisit's choice of foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, says our correspondent. But Mr Abhisit has already come under criticism from business leaders and even some members of his own party for his cabinet appointments.
Two powerful ministries - interior and transport - have gone to the faction whose defection from the previous government swung the balance of votes in Mr Abhisit's favour.
Mr Abhisit has pledged to ease political tension and revive Thailand's economyThat faction is led by a notoriously mercenary local politician, says the BBC correspondent in Thailand, Jonathan Head.
He adds that it is also difficult to deny deals were done with the smaller parties who joined the coalition; for example the important commerce portfolio has been given to the politically-inexperienced owner of a large massage parlour.
But the biggest controversy surrounds Mr Abhisit's choice of foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, our correspondent says.
Mr Kasit is an unapologetic supporter of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest movement, and still defends its occupation of Bangkok's international airport last month.Mr Kasit is an unapologetic supporter of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest movement, and still defends its occupation of Bangkok's international airport last month.
He is a very experienced diplomat, but on Monday he was accused by one Thai newspaper of displaying abysmal judgment in recent months. He is a very experienced diplomat - he was ambassador to Germany, Japan and the US - but observers have voiced concern about how his links with the PAD will influence his job as foreign minister.
Mr Kasit may, for example, find it difficult to improve ties with Cambodia, given the PAD's vitriolic attacks over the disputed temple along their common border.
One Thai newspaper accused him on Monday of displaying abysmal judgment.